You Too Toph
by majesticwolf27
Summary: Toph has always been Sokka's best friend, helping him through the hardest times of his life. Then the time comes for him to repay her. T for death.


You Too-An Avatar: The Last Airbender Oneshot

I own nothing

Sokka was a man of few passions. He loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved his weapons, and he loved food.

Sokka had found love twice in his twenty years of life. His first love had become the moon, and his second, the one he married, died at the hands of the rebellion.

While he grieved the loss of his wife and what could have been, his best friend had been by his side and helped him cope throughout those tumultuous two years. Although few people saw her as the compassionate and caring type, Toph had been the reason Sokka pushed through the pain. She had been his source of comfort while his sister and Aang built their own family.

Though Sokka sometimes suspected that Toph was in love with him, she never pushed it or even hinted that she wanted something more from him. In a way, Sokka was thankful; he couldn't bear to lose her as a friend if something went wrong. But part of him would always wonder what-if.

Sadly, she was becoming distant these days, spending more and more time with Katara. Not that he was keeping track. Not that it bothered him either. It didn't. Really, it didn't. Did it?

Toph knew she was dying. Two years after the war ended, right before Sokka proposed to Suki, she felt a shift in her body. A great pain began to build in her stomach. At first she ignored it, chalking it up to stress over Sokka's relationship. Then she went to Katara. Whatever it was, the two women discovered that it was killing Toph the day Sokka announced his engagement. Feeling defeated, Toph asked Katara to keep her secret, and she let Sokka go.

At their wedding, a year later, Toph had been in such unbearable pain, but she suffered through it for him. She just wanted him to be happy, and that meant having his best friend by his side. The way Toph saw it, who was she to lay claim to him when death's embrace was drawing near? Who would help him heal then.

That was why, after Suki's death, Toph still kept her feelings for him secret, along with her sickness.

Toph had gone to great lengths to hide her illness from Sokka. She began wearing long sleeve kimono to hide her weight loss. When her face had also begun to thin out, she started wearing her long hair down to provide distraction. Each time Sokka teased her about embracing her feminine side, Toph's heart sank with fear; she couldn't lie forever.

Now, two years since she first discovered her illness, it was finally ready for her. Toph had to take daily trips to Katara to rid the pain enough to spend what precious time she could with Sokka.

Toph knew, as she stared at the water she had asked Chief Arnook for, that her time had come. She had awaken that morning coughing blood, and hadn't the strength to leave her bed. Toph summoned the servent she had begrudgingly hired-she thought servitude was demeaning-to bring Katara for one last healing session.

Sokka stared at Aang in disbelief.

"What do you mean Toph is sick? She came by yesterday to help me with laundry." Aang shook his head slowly, his expression grave.

"Sokka, you should come now. Please," he said, his eyes pleading with Sokka. Sokka felt a sense of dread seize his heart, and his feet carried him faster than they ever had before.

Sokka stared down at Toph in total shock. She wore a thin strapped night-dress, and had a pelt pulled up to her chest, her bare arms exposed to the cool air. Her hair was brushed out of her face, and her eyes were closed. Toph could have passed for serene if not for her lack of color and weight, and her labored breathing.

A lump formed in Sokka's throat as he stared at her; Toph was always the strongest of all of them. Sokka turned angrily to Aang and Katara.

"How could this happen in one night?" he spat, his eyes watering.

"It happened over the course of two years Snoozles." Toph's voice suprised him; it was strong despite her closed eyes. Sokka moved to her side and took her hand.

"What's wrong with you Toph? Can Katara-"

"I'm dying Sokka," She whispered. "A lot of healers have tried." Tears pooled in Sokka's eyes as he gripped her small hand in both of his and brought it to his cheek.

"Don't say that Toph. You're strong. You'll pull through." Toph's eyes remained closed as she snorted.

"Face it Meathead. You suck at lying." Sokka couldn't fight the tears any longer and he sobbed into her hand. "Please don't cry," she whispered. "I don't want you to be sad." Sokka looked up at his best friend, silent tears still falling.

Like so many other things in his life, it hit him with such force and unfairness that his sobs started again.

"But I love you Toph! I know that now! We're going to be more than friends. We were meant for that, I can feel it!" A tears escaped Toph's closed eyes and she inhaled shakily.

"What we have _is _deeper than friendship." She took a deep breath. "I need to know that you will be okay Sokka. I hung in as long as I could for you." Sokka shook his head.

"No...no! I don't want to live without you!" Toph grabbed his wrist with her free hand.

"Don't talk like that! You have to take care of your family...our family." Sokka pressed his face in her hair and cried; Toph wrapped her arms around him, fighting for control over her own tears. "Promise me." She murmmered. Sokka slowly nodded.

"I promise." Toph smiled sadly and pulled his face level with hers. Her eyes remained shut.

"I love you Sokka."

"I love you too Toph," he cried. They kissed softly, their hands cupping the other's cheeks. Finally, Toph's pulse slowed and they pulled apart. "Not now," he whispered. "Not yet. I'm not ready." Toph held him close and cried.

"Sokka, listen to me. You are the only man I have ever loved. You are the only man I ever wanted to see me, the real me. Sokka, I want you to be the first and last sight I will ever see." Sokka, suddenly understanding her unwillingness to open her eyes, placed a hand over her eyes and nodded. He summoned all of his courage, stemmed the flow of his tears, wiped his face, and put on his brightest smile. He removed his hand and stared into Toph's clear green eyes. Toph touched his face as tears filled her eyes. She smiled.

"You're so beautiful." she whispered. Sokka closed his eyes as hers slid shut.

"You too Toph." He said, and her breathing ceased.

**A/n: **I just realized that both oneshots I have posted were really sad. Anyway, if any of you have read my other stories, you may know that I was out of town visiting my sisters, so I had to put them on hold. Well, I'm back now and posting will resume. I also got a new word processor, so no more working off of Wordpad. So, I will replace all of my chapters with the new software so they are more presentable as soon as the new software is done installing. I apologize for any inconvienience in the meantime. Thanks for reading, and please review! -Kirsten


End file.
